Memories of Old
by Loki-God-of-Mischief
Summary: Memories are forever, that is why Kenji is desperate to reclaim his lost childhood memories. But it is through that desperation that he discovers that the first time he had met Uriko had been long ago and it had once been one of his most cherished memory. Keniko (young Kenji x Uriko) (Older Kenji x Uriko) Based on Bloody Roar 2 and a bit of Bloody Roar 3 & 4
1. Chapter 1

On April 30, 1999 ─ Bloody Roar 2 was first released in N.A., so in as… I'm kidding; this is just an excuse to write Keniko. Different from my 5-year-old (horrid) writing, hope it's not boring, enjoy.

Pairing: Kenji x Uriko

Bloody Roar 2 (Because it will always be my favorite)

Old pen-name: Bakuryu-kun

* * *

The memories of Kenji's childhood were blurry at best; they were fragments that meant nothing at times and then long episodes would surface and play out in his mind like an old film that had been forgotten in an attic. He knew they were his memories ―and his alone, for he had not the courage to tell Yugo― these memoirs that were engraved deep in his mind were not the after effects of the dreadful brainwashing sessions he was forced to endure nor imagined slights created to fill the empty void.

But perhaps what he feared the most about his lost memories was the way it had all felt as normal as his current life. It was not unlike his daily routines as a high school student, or being the younger sibling in the Ogami household, or even his high position in the W.O.C. Instead of school days, his younger self had endured cruel training by his former Master Kato. Where now he had friends, in past times he was alone for long periods of time deprived from the joys of friendship. Whilst now he had peace and a caring older brother, his younger years were filled with hatred and fear, slaughter and crimes.

At some point after he began to remember, but a few months after his abduction by the Z.L.F., he feared there were no good memories of his childhood to enjoy.

No embraces or kisses had he received from loving parents, no childhood friends to have played and fool about with, and as the list amplified, along grew his desperation to recall at least one normal memory.

His wish came true at some point, and it happened as it always did; a small trigger was needed for his mind to be full blown back in time.

He had just parted ways from a close friend, a friend and ally he had gained during his kidnapping almost 4 years ago. She had somehow grown on him, because she was everything he wasn't ― and for that he had loved her all the more.

The bright aura and silly jokes, her clumsy movements yet feminine charm were like a lure he could not look away from. Each day he spent with her, was time he had learned to treasure.

It hadn't been like this at first, when his guilty mind did not allow him to open up to others. The persistent fear that his true nature was that of a monster, ― because let's face it, who would love an assassin who took so much pride in his work?

Uriko Nonomura proved to be that someone, that special person who put behind all that happened and accepted him with open arms and her silly remarks. She had practically kicked him for his self-loathing and sulking.

"_Oh, how corny! You're too young and handsome to talk like that!"_ She had told him the first time they had met, when she was no more than a nuisance that Kenji needed to eliminate for his then-master Busuzima. And how incredulous that line had been! To face down an experienced assassin and tell him he was good looking in complete disregard for her own safety.

The Bakuryu then ―just a mindless slave― was certain she was a fool, but after his defeat he was taken aback how an amateur had pushed him off his high horse for once.

Kenji had arrived to his empty home, as he had become accustomed since Yugo left to travel where he pleased, to prepare his dinner when the memory hit him.

At first it was barely a spark in his mind, but the wave soon came after…

* * *

It was a sweet memory within the darkest of times, an event that shouldn't have ever happened, but it did. That was all that mattered to Kenji now; it was all he wanted to remember now.

Kenji put away the food before him and opted to allow his mind to wonder back, back to a time where his still innocent mind had been tainted by his clan of ninja, tainted by Tylon and the many sick twisted scientists that ran the underground labs… a time when he had first fallen in love.

Everything had gone horribly wrong that night; there was no doubt about it. Little Kenji was certain his Master would soon slide open the door to his small room and release his anger on him. He was scared, that much was obvious, but he accepted whatever punishment Kato, or Bakuryu as his self-imposed title was, could dish-out. Kenji had messed up big time and his Master was not known to take failure lightly.

How could Kenji begin to explain? It wasn't his intention to give away his location whilst allowing the target to get away. Kenji knew he wasn't ready for this a job with that lever of skill, but as the heir of the clan he was expected to do things better than most. ― Even if said others were the triple his age.

So when his Master finally stormed into his dark lit room, he forces himself to suppress the whimper that threatens to escape his pale lips.

"Is that quivering I see?" His master's tone is dry, with no room for humor. ― Not that he had ever known his master for his humor, unless said joke was the killing of a worthy opponent.

Kenji fists his little hands in a failed attempt to hide his fear, he quickly follows by shaking his head. If he were to speak now his voice would most likely betray him.

"Do not lie to me boy! Up on your feet, now!" Kato barks at Kenji and the small boy forced his legs to carry his relatively light weight. Master Kato had always kept Kenji on the lean side for best agility.

Kenji's breathing had become shaky as his Master further yells at him for messing up the mission. Kenji's eyes accidently dart away from his Master as tears begin to spill. Kato quickly notices and slaps his student hard across the face.

"Wipe those damned tears away; I shall not see my student and heir demonstrate such weakness before me. And you shall look at me when I speak."

Kenji franticly nods to avoid further punishment, allowing his Master to continue.

"You will be punished for your failure tonight! It's been long due since that pathetic mind of yours has been modified. I will see to it that this offence is not repeated, for if you screw up any other of my jobs there won't be a next time." It's an empty threat, at least for now, Kenji knows.

Kenji is an irreplaceable student, he sees as much, because he is the only direct descended from the village Kato and he were born into that can wield the outmost secret and powerful techniques of the Kato School of Ninjutsu. None else can master them, and Kato knows it as well, he will not kill the boy who is destined to become one day Master, but he can secure the efficiency of his student through the brainwashing and experiments that promise him a stronger body for the boy.

That night Kenji is sent to the labs, and as always Busuzima is the first to greet them both.

"Oh, Ninja Master, what brings you and your darling boy to the pits of Tylon?" Busuzima's mocking voice has always irritated Kato, but he does not show it. Busuzima is but a few mere positions from the head honcho behind Tylon, giving him the most power among the scientists. For all the egotism Kato holds, he knows Busuzima is not someone to quarrel with, let alone annoy.

"I seek to fix a problem. I believe you might be of help." Kato's tone is as sour as ever when he is forced to speak with the freakish scientist.

"An experiment? Oh, I would be more than plea─" Busuzima is babbling when Kato stops him dead on his tracks with a glare.

"My student is not your plaything. He merely requires the usual treatment." Kato's gaze falls on the boy who had managed to pull on a blank mask, hiding the fear and disgust he feels every time he is forced to see the 'doctor'.

"Hmmpp, of course, I meant no disrespect. Leave the boy; I can't do that right now. I have some delicate experiments to finish and later I have to set up the equipment." Busuzima continue to speak but Kato had long lost interest. He needed nothing more than to hear the confirmation from the scientist; whatever else the freakish man had to do was none of his concern. ― As long as that something else did not require his filthy hands on his young heir.

"Very well. Boy, you will stay here and behave. The 'good' doctor will see to you when he is ready." Kato directs his words towards Kenji, dripping with sarcasm. Busuzima glares at the old man before waving his hand in annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah, just get outta here if you got nothing nice to say!"

Busuzima leaves the two of them and returns to the deepest rooms in the giant lab. Kato turns once more to his student with a meaningful look. Kenji understands the look, his master might be angry, but he had no desire to see his student become another experiment. It is not out of love or compassion; it is simply out of the value the student possesses. Kenji bows before his master, and before he has fully risen from his bow his Master is gone in a flash of smoke.

"Well, I guess this is growing up! Well, I guess this is growing up!" Busuzima's horrid singing could be heard from afar as Kenji still stood where his Master had left him.

He was told to behave, and to simply stand in place was clearly behaving well, so would walking without interrupting be good too?

Kenji began to wonder the lab in silence, taking in all around him, not understanding much of what he saw. They were large tubing surrounded by wiring that was suspended in metal platforms, the tables he had to tiptoe to see over, were full of strange instruments which Kenji couldn't begin to decipher their use. He moved along as he lost interest of the things he could not understand, and was beginning to feel unnerved by the strange screams he could hear from where once Busuzima's off tone singing had once been heard.

Kenji scurried away to a quieter part of the laboratory and began to explore anew. Only this time it was a sniffling sound that caught his ear.

Unlike the screams, the crying was low and muffled by something, perhaps cloth or a hand?

Loki peered within the room he believed was the source of the crying and carefully walked inside.

It was dim within and as cold as the rest of the lab. Once his eyes quickly adjusted to the new light ― an improvement in his sight thanks to Busuzima ― he spotted the crying figure behind metal bars.

Kenji quietly made his way over to the hunched over figure, learning from his mistake on the last mission not to make noise, and kneeled before the… child?

The girl, most likely his age, snapped her head to face the intruder. Her eyes went wide when she saw the boy before her, clearly startled by his seemingly sudden appearance.

"Who- Who are you?" The girl said between sniffles.

Kenji did not reply; he knew he was not allowed to give his identity away to anyone, but this was a child just like him. Would Master be angry for that too?

The girl wiped her face with her long white sleeve and crawled closer to the nameless boy.

"Well since you won't speak first, I will. I'm Uriko and 9-years-old. How about you?" Uriko asked, eyes still swollen from the crying.

Kenji looked around, and concentrated on the silence for a few minutes. Uriko's face was scrunched up in confusion, and she burst out laughing.

Kenji was startled by the sudden laughter and jumped up to his feet.

"Scaredy cat, you look so worried! Anyway, what you listening too?" Uriko continued as if nothing had happened.

Kenji's mouth gaped open for a moment and he shut his lips tight, as if thinking how to continue.

"Oh, are you mute? I didn't mean to make you talk, if you can't I mean…" Uriko stopped talking and sat down closer to the bars.

"I'm scared too. I really wish my mommy was here."

Kenji's brows knitted as he processed what he girl was saying. "Are you here for the doctor too?"

Uriko's eyes widen in surprise as she turned to look at the boy. "The doctor? This isn't a hospital is it?"

"No…" Kenji replied and awkwardly stood before her prison. He turned various times to look out the open door and finally settled down before her.

"My name is Kenji, but you can't tell anyone." Kenji said in a low voice as if harboring a secret.

"Nice to meet you, Kenji." Uriko whispered back with a small smile on her lips.

Kenji was not used to receiving smiles; he wasn't used to offering smiles either, not unless he had to pretend during an infiltration mission. Those missions allowed him a glimpse of normal life; he would be instructed on how to act and what to wear and be released into whatever environment needed to be infiltrated. Perhaps a normal glimpse of life was far from reality, but it was the only way he had experienced the outside world.

"Hey, why are your clothes so weird?" Uriko's voice snapped him out of his daydream.

"My clothes?" Kenji stared down at his ninja armor and yellow and red uniform and frowned. 'What was weird about it? Was it not the best clothing for fighting and defense?

"Yeah, you look like an anime character or something." Uriko giggled as she compared him to this 'anime' he had no clue was.

"Anime? My clothing is for fighting." Kenji said matter-of-fact.

"Fighting? Are you like a ninja? Like Ruroni Kenshin, I think there were ninjas in that show…" Uriko poked her hand through the bars and grasped his scarlet scarf. Kenji tensed at her movements, but made no effort to stop her. She was a confusing girl, Kenji barely understood her conversation, but he was a ninja, had she found out so quickly?

"It's a bit broken up… Doesn't your mommy sew your clothing?" Uriko's ask and paused, she missed her mother and only speaking about moms was about to drive her to the verge of tears again. His suspicion about her knowledge of ninjas was quickly dismissed, she was clearly talking about some movie or show he was not knowledgeable of it seems.

"I don't have a mother." Kenji answers and pulls the scarf away from her hands.

Uriko doesn't immediately reply; instead she plays with the hem of her sleeve, "I don't have a daddy, but at least I have my momma. She will come for me…" The last part comes out as a whisper and later is followed by a whimper.

Kenji is shocked at her sudden change of mood and a foolish line escapes his mouth.

"Tears are for the weak, you shouldn't cry."

Uriko looks at him with the saddest pair of eyes he has probably ever seen, the hurt on her face causes him to squirm where he sits.

"Crying is not for babies! Mommy told me so, and mommy is almost always right." Uriko is offended and he has clearly been the cause of the offense, but he does not apologize. His master is always right, he would have laughed at Uriko for her bold statement, but Kenji will not.

"Where the hell is that brat!?" He hears Busuzima yell.

Kenji jumps to his feet and only turns to Uriko once he's half way out the door.

"Farewell." He mumbles and runs off.

Uriko is left bewildered by the odd boy's behavior, but she sorta liked him. He was cute and mostly polite, if not weird, but he didn't seem like a bad person. He was hurt, his lips were swollen and his right cheek red as if slapped. His yellow weird clothing was ripped in places and bloodied on others and his body had scars, as if he was truly a fighter from an old Kung-Fu movie. But he also look sickish, as if somehow starved, because he was certainly too skinny for a boy… her age? He never told her his age, but she guessed he was maybe her age.

She wanted to see him again, because if he was around she would not be lonely and if she wasn't lonely she wouldn't have to think too much about this hellish place she was trapped in. But he might never return, the other people who had once shared the prison with her had never returned, and that freak scientist had called him. She would have felt sorrier for him, but she was worse off in this cage.

"Oh Alice, I hope you did get away." Uriko murmured as she lay down on the hard, cold ground. Some sleep might aid her hurting head from all the crying, but it would not aid her wounded heart. No until she was asleep back at home with her mother, not until she was free from these evil people or she knew if Alice survived.

* * *

Kenji had been pulled away from his dream like state by his cellphone's ringing. When he finally picked up his mobile he was surprised to see 3 missing calls.

"Hello? Kenji speaking." Kenji answered the phone, his throat felt tight.

"Geez, I've been calling you for a while. Is it that late over there?" Yugo's voice was heard from the other side. Yugo was probably in Spain, the time difference was something he often forgot by calling Kenji in ungodly hours of the night.

"Uh, I don't─" Kenji paused to look at the clock on the wall; an hour had mysteriously passed by unnoticed since he had arrived home. "No, it's only 7 at night… I'm sorry, what going on?"

"Yeah, well I was wanted ─ Hey, are you feeling okay? You sound a bit weird." Yugo sounded concern and Kenji hated to worry his older brother.

"I'm fine, I was just napping." Kenji's lie seemed to satisfy Yugo's curiosity or more likely move the conversation a different direction ― after Kenji's attempt suicide Yugo had learned to give him his space ― and continued on as their routinely calls.

After the long conversation with Yugo had ended, Kenji carried on with his dinner preparations and settled in early for bed. All he wanted was to sleep and hopefully muster up the courage to speak to Uriko in person to confirm his newly regained memory. He wanted to remember more of what happened after that conversation, but he knew better than to force his memories. That would only leave bias information, imagined memories that never truly happened… So he drifted off to slumber, and his mind answered his wishes through his dreams.

* * *

More Keniko on the next chapter, I simply like Bakuryu too much to not talk about his own story… Dreams unfold the tale of young Uriko and Kenji, hopefully leading off to the present couple.


	2. Chapter 2

Well this was meant to be updated a few months ago, but alas, life happened. It seems due to some setbacks in the college's calendar I had mid-terms and finals less than a month apart, while also finishing my two lab notebooks (required to be hand written) with a staggering total of 200+ pages! To finish the cake with a cherry on top, I moved and had no Internet connection for a month… Apologies!

Without further or do, here is chapter 2.

* * *

The world began to faze soon after his body hit the bed. It wasn't unusual for sleep to claim him this quickly as his days were mostly filled with a vast amount of activities that ranged from school to work at the W.O.C. But his sleep was dreamless, no visions or fragments of the memory that had possessed his mind had made their way back. When he awoke it was to the morning light that had sneaked into his room, only to notice he had overslept. Kenji leaped from grogginess to wide-awake in mere seconds as he rushed to get dressed and hurried to pack his lunch. With a few muffled curses he managed to get on his bicycle and head over to school.

His mind was set back in track with his usual weekend duties and so all thoughts of the memory were pushed aside. Kenji's work in the W.O.C. was vital, and more so when Yugo would leave in his seemingly random trips around the world.

It wasn't until Sunday night, a week since his forgotten memory decided to awaken, that Alice was organizing the last of the files when she turned to Kenji.

"Kenji, don't stay too late. We can finish this tomorrow." Alice's voice called out to him.

Kenji fixed his gaze upon the former nurse and smiled.

"I won't."

Alice gave him a skeptical look.

"I promise." Kenji quickly added.

"Okay, if you need anything don't hesitate to call Gado or me." Alice was grabbing her purse when she turned once more towards Kenji.

"If something is wrong, you know you can talk to us, ok?" Her face was stern and her bright brown-reddish eyes held that knowing look that would make Yugo squirm where he stood.

Kenji wavered before replying, "I know. Thank you."

Alice shook her head as she hid a smile that threatens to escape her lips. "Oh Kenji, you might have many of the other adults here fooled, but I know you're still young and sometimes don't feel secure to share your thoughts. But I assure you, sometimes it's better to talk to someone than keep it bottled up inside. Regardless of how absurd it might seem."

Kenji relaxed muscles he wasn't aware he was straining and nodded weakly. "Goodnight, Alice. Be careful."

Alice did not answer immediately and simply nodded offering a few parting words.

Kenji worked for the next few hours only to stop when his eyes demanded some rest from the bright screen. The constant strain of concentrating on his vision was now responsible for the beginning of a massive headache. Uriko would have made fun of his vision by calling him 'mole-boy' and that would have lighten the mood of this dull office.

Kenji arose from the desk chair and stretched his limbs as he stared out into the city. It was darker than normal, the stars and moon had been covered by thick blankets of gray clouds.

A soft tapping on the glass windows he hadn't heard before caught his attention.

It was raining, and Kenji had been so lost in his work he had not realized there was a storm slowly forming outside.

He dropped back into his chair and stared out into the midnight sky, how many nights had he spent staring out into the sky like this? Waiting or searching for his target in the dead of night. Rain, snow, or a mild storm such as this was no reason to seek shelter, not unless he had finished his task.

As his senses slowly gave away as he was quickly lost in thought, his mind reviving memories he had never truly forgotten but never quite wished to remember. Like a mosaic of images, they slowly became more defined, at first nothing made much sense, the faces were blurred and the voices heard faint, he then began to recall seemingly random memories.

* * *

The rain had no ceased for days, and although it wasn't a storm, the weather was anything but pleasant for exterior activities. Kenji sits alone at the balcony that surrounds the enormous dojo in a perfect square. The weather might not have been good for heading out, but it was a beautiful and relaxing sight to watch as the drops hit the leafy landscape before him.

"Boy." A voice calls out to Kenji, who immediately turns to face the man.

"It is time." The middle aged man, wearing a simply uniform that marked his rank ―a low rank, Kenji notes― says as he turns back into the dojo. Kenji is still very young, barely learning how to write and read and already expected to behave like an adult.

Hours later, after the deed was done, Kenji finds he dislikes storms, the way the rain amplifies the blood that stretches across the dim lit alleyway, the way it makes his dirty uniform stick to his skin as it pulls the stains of blood closer in a sick embrace. Kenji dislikes the thunder for reminding him of the screams the victim had made when he plunged his claws into his flesh.

"Well done." His master says as he places a hand on his small shoulder. A gratifying feeling should have swelled up in Kenji's chest, but he is unused to the practical aspect of being as assassin and the theory has little effect to prepare his young mind for the scene before him.

Even though he meticulously washes his filthy hands the smell of blood lingers, he doesn't sleep well for the next month that follows.

Lighting lighted the sky and Kenji was startled when the thunder soon followed, replacing the silence with its rumble. Kenji felt silly as he quickly lifted his hands and stared at them.

Clean and pale hands.

He snorted at his irrationality and continued to gaze out the glass panel. He had not recalled memories like those in a long time and Kenji felt he could do so now that he had grown older and more emotionally stable. Another lightning strike lit the room and he recalled why this particular memory was relevant…

* * *

What had happened to him when Busuzima found him came as no surprise, he was a tool for Tylon and Busuzima did what he would do with any other tool that wasn't working correctly, "fix it".

Kenji knows all too well the pain that comes along with the feelings of hopelessness and fear, when the mad scientist would strap him down like an animal, as he would linger to see the results of his insane experiments all the while finding delight at the child's expense when his twisted work ended as a success.

For what seems ages Master Kato doesn't return and Kenji is left at the mercy of the madman. His mind wonders to different scenarios of what was to happen next, but his favorite is where he manages to escape and talks to the silly girl trapped in that cell.

It is ludicrous, because they had not even spoken for half-an-hour before he got pulled away, and besides it had happened a couple of days ago more or less, she could have already forgotten him. But at the same time it feels so logical because he has never been allowed to interact with children his age. He has so many questions running through his mind though at some point it becomes hard to think coherently, but that could have been blamed on the procedure Busizima was performing at the moment. It has never made much sense to Kenji, because all this is above his limited knowledge of science and what-not, but all Kenji does know is that it makes his head hurt and it becomes hard to think. There is a constant voice at the back of his mind that tells him what to do and Kenji finds it hard to not obey it. Only once, a long time ago, he overheard the name of what was being done, something called brainwashing. Kenji, in his child's mind, found that silly because nobody ever washed their brain.

From the corner of his eye he sees Busuzima; his face contorts in anger as he throws around equipment. Although the scientist was clearly yelling, his voice is stifled by the pain that surges his body. His heart is pounding loudly in his ears and his ragged breaths turn to whimper. Kenji is desperately looking for some sort of comfort now― for the ranging scientist and his over-stimulated senses cause his to get anxious― and he only wishes to get away from the freakish man that hovers over him oblivious to the boy's fretfulness.

Yet even through the terrifying ordeal, Kenji is ashamed, ashamed that he is crying ― and were he able to speak― willing to beg for it to stop. His Master would have been furious and disappointed for dishonoring his Master, the School, himself as the heir.

"Well ain't this dandy! Just one session and you manage to crisp the damn sensors. That old bag of bones will never let me hear the end of this…" Busuzima mumbles as he began to take apart the recently upgraded hardware of his equipment in hopes of fixing it himself.

The procedure had been a total failure, leaving Kenji a third of the process in of the brainwashing.

With the strong drugs that had been administered still having adverse effects on his body; his stomach turns upside down as his limbs tremble uncontrollably. But it was his mind that has been the most deteriorated, as if all thought has been obscured by thick fog.

Try as he might, Kenji's mind is almost animalistic in his need to escape.

In a final fit of anger, Busizima unstraps and practically kicks out the child from his small lab room. "I can't work with your whining, go somewhere else to be useless!"

In a desperate attempt to get further away, Kenji forces himself to his feet and drags himself along the walls. His isn't sure of where he is headed, but anywhere was better than next to Busuzima.

Uriko is startled from her semi-sleep by the boy who had run away from her side a few days ago. Their short conversation, well mostly monologue from Uriko's part, had cheered her up slightly, even if it had been painfully short.

He looks like a ghost, his already pale skin a new frightening ghostly white, his eyes dark and sunken as sweat ran down his brow.

Uriko dashes towards the bars of her prison and Kenji gracelessly fall before her. Her panicked eyes search his body for injuries; her hands wretchedly hover over the thick iron bars.

"Kenji!" She yelps as he groans in pain. Uriko sticks her hands out the bars to gently pet his hair. It does little good, but to provide him comfort was perhaps the only thing she could do.

His eyes snap open at her touch and he jerks back taking a few shaky breathes only to slump down once more.

Outside it must be raining, because Kenji can smell the moist and moldy air that somehow slips into the holding cells, probably due to the poor maintenance that is given to these types of places.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." Uriko whisper as she reached out again, as if the boy before her was an injured animal. This time Kenji allows her to reach him, and draws closer to her. His eyes are dull and Uriko isn't even sure he is listening, but seeing him this distressed makes her equally troubled. Outside there is disarray of sounds, and even through these thick cement walls they could be heard. It is a storm, fitting for the mood that has taken hold of the room.

Lighting must have stuck near because Uriko's prison shakes with the force of the thunder. Her hand tenses as she pets his messy and dirty hair before resuming her relaxing caresses. Even in this ill state Kenji's keen senses can taste the fear that consumes Uriko, she is afraid of the storm and thunder, almost as much as he hated it once when he was much younger. ― And perhaps even pure and innocent.

Kenji fights the urge to fall asleep. He fears he will wake up in that small room again, trapped and tied down. But his body is exhausted and unconsciousness soon claims him. The last thing he sees is a girl crying behind metal bars as she frantically repeats something, something he can't quite make out, but he thinks her lips voice, "Please don't die."

Whatever happened next was a mystery to Kenji; the memory ends there and is followed by an extensiveness of nothing.


End file.
